Amazon is on trial in a Seattle federal court, facing allegations that it deliberately turned the process of canceling a Prime membership into a modern-day epic struggle. The Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit centers on an internal system Amazon reportedly called the “Iliad,” a multi-step, confusing labyrinth designed to deter customers from unsubscribing from the $139-per-year service.
According to the FTC’s complaint, this “labyrinthine” process involved at least four pages, six clicks, and fifteen different options, creating a significant hurdle for consumers who simply wanted to end their membership. The government argues this was not a design flaw but a calculated business strategy to retain subscribers and revenue, even against their will. This intricate cancellation process is a cornerstone of the case against the e-commerce giant.
The lawsuit also accuses Amazon of using deceptive methods to get customers into Prime in the first place. The FTC alleges the company utilized “dark patterns”—manipulative user interface designs—during the checkout process. These designs allegedly made it incredibly simple to sign up for Prime with a single click on a large button, while the option to decline was buried in inconspicuous text.
The trial represents a major move in the U.S. government’s ongoing effort to rein in the power of Big Tech. Federal regulators are scrutinizing the practices of companies like Amazon more closely than ever before, signaling an end to the era of unchecked growth. The FTC is not only seeking monetary penalties but also demanding court-supervised changes to Amazon’s business practices.
Amazon is fighting the allegations, arguing that its processes have always been lawful and that it has since updated its user interface to provide more clarity. The outcome of this four-week trial could have profound implications for how subscription services are designed and marketed across the internet, potentially setting a new precedent for consumer protection in the digital age.